www.PeninsulaStreams.ca

Peninsula Streams Society helps

initiate and coordinate stream

restoration and habitat conservation

on the Saanich Peninsula.

The purposes of Peninsula Streams Society are:

To develop, organize and participate in environmental projects and programs on the

Saanich Peninsula and surrounding areas that will:

- Monitor, preserve and restore flora and fauna

- Monitor, preserve and restore rivers, creeks and watersheds, marine environments

and near-shore environments

- Conserve, re-use and reduce water and waste

- Improve the urban and rural/agricultural environments

To educate and increase the understanding of the public, environmental organizations,

government and the press about environmental preservation and restoration and their

importance, by offering workshops, seminars, training and lectures.

To conduct research relating to the environment and disseminate the results of such

research.

Letter from the Chair A big Thank You to all previous donors to the Peninsula Streams Society, without whom

we would have been unable to celebrate ten years of useful work, education of school

children and stewardship of the streams and environment of the Saanich Peninsula.

Our mission is being accomplished but we need your help to continue with our efforts to

restore our streams. Cutbacks from every level of government are making your financial

contribution vital for the survival and expansion of the Society. Remember, all dollars

donated are multiplied by the efforts of our many volunteers.

Donations are essential to cover the overhead costs of operating an office with two part-

time professionals who provide immediate response to environmental situations as well

as plan the work of the organization. We would like to proceed with many worthwhile

projects but the pace of our work depends upon your generosity.

Newton Hockey Charitable status # 86500 1457 RR0001

Members of Peninsula

Streams are also active

in the following

organizations:

- Friends of Chalet Creek

- Friends of Pat Bay

Watershed

- Friends of Reay (Kelset)

Creek Park

- Friends of Dominion

Brook Park

- SeaChange Marine

Conservation Society

- Sidney Anglers

Association

- Haig-Brown Fly Fishing

Association

- Saanich Inlet Protection

Society

- KENNES (Hagan-

Graham ) Watershed

Project

- Friends of Tetayut

(Sandhill) Creek

- Friends of Shoal Harbour

- Friends of Tod Creek

Watershed

- Swan Lake Christmas

Hill Nature Sanctuary

- Friends of Swan Creek

We work in

many

different

watersheds.

Governments District of Central Saanich

District of North Saanich

Town of Sidney

District of Saanich

Institute of Ocean Sciences

Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Foundations Victoria Foundation

Alistair S. Thomson Fund Colonel R.O. Bull Fund Oolichan Fund Woodsome Family Fund

Pacific Salmon Foundation Dee M. Bailin Family Fund

Organizations Sidney Anglers Association

Sidney Lions Club

Individuals F & P. Boyce

I. Bruce

P. Chandler

J. Clearihue

D. Coupland G.B. Davidson B. Drury A. Finall M. Garside S. Guy M. Haig-Brown B. Hardy S. Irving A. Johnson P. Kerfoot A. Marsh C. Mearns A. Nelson P. Noel

B.Peart J. Thornburgh A. Waterhouse R. Windsor

Past & Present Supporters

Businesses

Alexander’s Coffee

Arbutus Grove Nursery

Canoe Cove Marina Custom Yacht Sales Ltd.

Drillwell Enterprises Ltd.

LGL Ltd.

Market on Yates and Millstream Michell Excavating Peninsula Co-op

Peninsula Rock Products Ltd.

Red Barn Market

Rhys Davis Ltd.

Russel Nursery

Seahorses Café

Sherwood Marine Centre

Sidney Bottle Depot

Slegg Construction Materials Ltd.

Thrifty Foods - Smile Card Program

Vancity Savings Credit Union

Victoria Airport Authority Westport Marina

Improved community and

ecological health

Core

funding to cover

overhead costs

(including

staffing)

Peninsula Streams Society:

A pathway to community environmental health

The Need:

- Poor water quality, habitat loss, soil erosion, lost salmon streams

- absence of enforcement of environmental guidelines

- downloading of environmental protection responsibility to communities

- no other environmental health or leadership agency serving stewardship

goals on the Peninsula

Project and

Program Funding:

from community

members,

individuals,

businesses,

foundations

Expertise and

Equipment:

from staff, members,

community

Community Support:

labour and services

provided by volunteers and

groups

Budget for Peninsula Streams Society Core Activity 2012 (9 months) (April 1, 2012-December 31, 2012)

Revenue

Donations

Business $5,000

Organizations $1,500

Foundations $8,250

Individual $3,000

Subtotal = $17,750

Grants

Central Saanich $7,500

Vancity Savings $500

North Saanich $3,750

Sidney $375

DFO $1,500

Subtotal = $13,625

Miscellaneous $10,300

Revenue Total = $41,675

Expenditures

2011-2012 Deficit $2,000

Contract Wages (core functions)

Executive Coordinator

9 months @ ~ 30 hours/month @$50/hr $13,500

Stewardship Co-ordinator

9 months @ ~ 90 hours/mo @ $22.50/hr $18,000

Subtotal = $31,500

Staff overhead

WCB, Revenue Canada, HST, etc. $4,620

Professional Development $1,000

Subtotal = $5,620

Organisational Costs

Accounting, banking, reporting, AGM, filing fees, etc. $2,250

Travel & Mileage

To/from projects on Peninsula, meetings $1,125

Expenditure Total = $42,495

Difference = -$820

Some of our Projects

Partial restoration of the creek has

been accomplished by re-routing of

the creek bed and installation of riffles

for water flow control and the

establishment of gravel beds for fish

spawning. The work has involved

detailed planning, heavy machinery,

hundreds of volunteer hours and the

planting of shade trees by students of

Deep Cove School. For several years,

the children have received on-site

education about stream life and have

been given Chum Salmon fry to

release into the creek each Spring. In

addition, volunteers released Coho

Salmon fry into the creek in 2011.

Friends of Chalet Creek Watershed

We are currently preparing the groundwork for a project to enhance the summer water flow in

Chalet Creek. This entails the testing of existing and disused wells in the area of Gardner’s

Pond, at the head of the creek, with view to pumping water into the pond. Retention of water in

the pond will be enhanced by the construction of a berm to maintain the existing high-water

level for a longer period in the Spring and Summer and to regulate the flow of water from the

pond. A biophysical survey of the pond is also planned. The objective of the project is to

enhance the environment of the stream for the survival of plant, insect and animal life. This will

increase the chances of survival and development of fry released by Deep Cove School

children each year and of the health of returning salmon in the Fall and Winter.

Several projects are ongoing along Tod Creek as we work toward a restoration of coho and

sea run cutthroat populations. Whitehead Park, at the point where Tod Creek leaves

Prospect Lake has been a focus for the past few years. With a great deal of help from

Saanich Parks staff, volunteers have removed blackberry and other invasives on the east

side of the creek and replaced them with native plants. We have worked on about two thirds

of this area with last third waiting for our clippers. The west side of the creek was choked by

Golden Willow which have been removed leaving a vigorous band of Yellow Flag Iris to be

dealt with. These Iris have been hand dug, dried and removed over this past summer. The

area has been seeded with fall rye and covered with cocamat to prevent silting of the creek.

Continued monitoring for shoots of Golden willow and Yellow Flag Iris lie ahead. The area

will also need to be planted with robust riparian vegetation in order to minimize the

recurrence of invasives.

Friends of Tod Creek Watershed

Water quality

through the low

flow period is

being carefully

monitored. A

source of fresh

water for the

creek during this

period is being

explored. A long

term project to

reroute the creek

through Tod

Creek Flats is

also being

worked on and

could enhance

the farm land as

well as creek

health and flood

plain function.

Next came the building of pools and riffles and encouragement of natural meanders on a

major portion of Hagan Creek as it flows through Woodwynn Farms in the lower Mount

Newton Valley. The riparian area was fenced and a program of tree planting was

commenced which still continues.

In recent years, the major focus has been on similar stream restoration and riparian

planting on a one kilometer stretch of Hagan Creek in the upper Mount Newton Valley on

three adjacent farm properties. This year, a wetlands pond fed by artesian springs was

added to the complex.

Next year, attention will focus on restoring the natural function of other areas on the slopes

of Mount Newton near the northern headwaters of Hagan Creek.

A partnership was formed in 1997 between the University

of Victoria, the Institute of Ocean Sciences, Woodwynn

Farms and the Tsartlip First Nation to undertake the

ecological restoration of this major watershed in Central

Saanich. The first project undertaken, in cooperation with

the Municipal District, was the recreation of pools and

riffles and bank stabilization of Graham Creek as it flows

through Centennial Park. Trails along the creek were also

fenced to prevent trampling of the banks and to allow

riparian plant regrowth. Within a year of completion,

Cutthroat Trout and other natural inhabitants had returned

to the Park.

KENNES (Hagan/Graham Creek) Watershed Project

Swan/Blenkinsop Creeks

Swan Creek and Blenkinsop Creek,

with Swan Lake in the middle, flow into

the lower Colquitz Creek system in

Saanich. Swan Creek suffered a

significant home heating oil spill in late

2011. During the spill response and

assessment phase, Ian Bruce noticed

that in spite of upwards of 40 coho

adult spawners, Swan Creek was

lacking in spawning and rearing

habitat. Striking a partnership with the

Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature

Sanctuary and the District of Saanich,

Peninsula Streams applied for and

received funding from the Ministry of

Transportation and Highways, the

Gaming Policy and Enforcement

Branch and the Pacific Salmon

Foundation. The first year’s goals

include some spawning habitat

improvements (completed Sept. 2012),

habitat surveys & assessment, the

creation of a “Friends of Swan Creek”

stewardship group and the subsequent

development of a 5 year restoration

plan.

Hagan/Graham Creeks

In 2009, the District of Central Saanich adopted the first Integrated Stormwater

Management Plan on Vancouver Island. Its recommendations call not simply for the control

of stormwater but rather its integration into the natural functioning of the 50 kilometers of

streams contained within the District’s three major watersheds. There are a myriad of

individual stream restoration projects in the Plan which will need to be undertaken over the

next few years but there is one that stands out, the creation of a 25 acre wetland on

Graham Creek in the Maber Flats.

The whole of the flats used to be a cranberry-willow bog and was a major harvesting and

food cultivation area for the Tsartlip First Nation. Then, in the 1870’s a trench was dug from

where Graham Creek flowed into the bog across to what is now Centennial Park to drain it

and create farmland for the new settlers. It has had to be continuously deepened and

dredged over the years as high winter and spring flows stripped soil from the tilled fields.

Not only is this sediment carried downstream but the increased water flow erodes the banks

of Graham Creek as it proceeds into the Mount Newton Valley and merges with Hagan

Creek. This in turn has required dredging of the streambed in this area and the sediment

outflows smother plants, algae and bivalves in the KENNES estuary.

Future Projects

The potential new wetland will

serve as a biofiltration system for

the stormwater outflow from the

Keating Industrial Park and will be

of sufficient depth that springtime

floodwaters will recede earlier

from the surrounding farmland.

This water retention will also

alleviate some of the torrential

downstream flow during the high

water period and then allow it to

be released during the summer to

maintain downstream water

levels.

The wetlands will be planted with

pre-settlement native vegetation

and be managed with the Tsartlip

First Nation both as a cultural

centre teaching their harvesting

and cultivation techniques and as

a source of their traditional foods

and other natural materials.

31

6

6b

5

4Confluence of Hagan and

Graham Creeks

HAGAN CREEK

GRAHAM CREEK

Tetayut Creek

The creation of a stormwater detention pond that will function as a turtle and amphibian

refuge pond is still planned for Adam Kerr Park. This exciting project has great potential

for public viewing and education while relieving downstream stormwater pressure on

Tetayut Creek. As well, critical nesting and rearing habitat for endangered Western painted

turtles and red-legged frogs will be created. This project will complete work undertaken in

the park by Peninsula Streams and the District of Central Saanich in 2008-09.

Reay Creek and TenTen Creek

Peninsula Streams continues to work closely with the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) on

the restoration of Reay and TenTen Creeks, both of which have a significant part of their

stream paths on airport property. A renewed commitment by the new Board and staff at

VAA to bring back salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout to these creeks is great news for the

health of the watersheds and their receiving waters of Bazan Bay and Patricia Bay

respectively.

Water Quality

Water Quality Monitoring continues to

be a monthly activity on three creeks:

Hagan/Graham, Tetayut and Tseycum

Creeks. Volunteers measure stream

conditions by taking water samples for

complex lab analyses, as well as

measuring physical and nutrient

parameters of the water themselves.

This activity is an important safeguard

for these creeks as no-one else does

this work. Our volunteers have

discovered many pollution incidents

over the years which have resulted in

the problems being remediated.

Our Youth Education Programs

Every year since 2006, 500+ Gr. 3 students in SD63 participate in watershed model

activities, salmon life-cycle education, growing alder trees for riparian zone restoration,

stream-side planting, and raising and releasing salmon fry. This program is delivered free-

of-charge to the nine elementary schools in SD 63 (Saanich), including Deep Cove, Sidney,

Brentwood, Prospect Lake, Cordova Bay, Lochside, Keating, Kelset and the LAU WELNEW

Tribal School. In May/June, we visit each grade three class at their school to deliver a one

hour interactive presentation, which is composed of three parts: Watershed Education,

Salmon Lifecycle and Tree planting.

Gr. 3 Program – Watershed and Salmon Lifecycle

Each students is given a red alder

seedling that they plant in a pot and care

for over the summer, then plant at a

restoration site with us in the fall. We

plant the trees at stream-side locations

on Chalet, Tetayut, Hagan, Reay and

Tod Creeks.

Above: Our watershed model depicting the

TenTen and Reay Creek watersheds

Starting in 2009, Peninsula Streams Society has, with the support of high school students,

adult and senior volunteers and other environmental organizations on the Peninsula,

delivered our highly successful Creatures of Habitat environmental education program to

coincide with Earth Week in April. Every year, Creatures of Habitat is delivered free-of-

charge to almost 500 Gr. 6 students and is comprised of several parts: a half day of

interactive displays and environmental education presentations, songs and skits, and a half

day of hands-on restoration work on or near the school grounds.

Gr. 6 Program – “Creatures of Habitat”

Recently in the News…

“Things don’t look after themselves. We have to be stewards and advocates for the environment and

it’s so much better if the people who live in that neighbourhood take that watershed under their care,”

said Ian Bruce, Peninsula Streams’ executive co-ordinator.

On Saturday, July 14, the society celebrated its 10th anniversary with cake, a nature walk and music

by Water in the Crawl Space. MP Elizabeth May attended, as well as representatives from Saanich,

Central Saanich, North Saanich and Sidney councils.

Peninsula Streams was born from four groups that all sought to protect waterways from Saanich to

Lands End. Since then, it has produced about 12 offshoots, each with a mandate to protect a certain

stream or to tackle a specific environmental hazard.

The society’s goal is “to restore streams and the areas alongside streams to their original and natural

conditions,” said Newton Hockey, the society’s chairman. “A lot of farms over the years have built

straight ditches and it has changed the landscape altogether and removed habitat. What we will do,

we will make a winding stream with riffles so they [it] flow and put in gravel for salmon or trout to

spawn, we plant trees to create shade. And we get schoolchildren involved in doing this, Deep Cove

school particularly.”

In the coming months and years, Peninsula Streams hopes to increase awareness of its activities in

hopes of attracting more funding to keep their work running.

“People should care about the watersheds, because if the local environment is healthy, then it’s a

reflection on the community,” said Bruce. “If you live in a degraded environment, your community’s

not going to be healthy in so many different ways.”

Peninsula Streams celebrates a decade of protecting our environment

By Erin Cardone

Published: July 18, 2012

In a decade, the Peninsula

Streams Society has achieved

a lot.

The group of mostly volunteers

has toiled to bring Hagan Creek

back to a salmon habitat,

fostered a water quality testing

program with Tseycum First

Nation and taught hundreds of

kids in grades 3 and 6 about

protecting watershed

ecosystems.

Photo credit: Erin Cardone, PNR

“I think for an organization with such a small staff … The work we have been able to

accomplish has been pretty spectacular,” Loro said. “We have been really good at working

with our different resources and being effective on how we use them.”

From on-the-ground restoration projects including revitalization of Hagen Creek, to

educational opportunities delivering environmental programs to local schools including North

Saanich middle school, Bayside middle school and Royal Oak middle school – the work is

never done.

However, the experience of guiding future generations of environmentally conscious citizens

has been a positive experience for the four-year veteran of the society. “We hope to

educate, make [students] aware of their environment and get them involved,” Loro said. “Kids

bring the message home to parents and grandparents.”

She believes youth involvement is key to long-term success in their current homes and their

future family homes, so initiatives including outdoor restoration projects to remove invasive

plant species and releasing salmon fry into local streams are important education

opportunities. She is excited by the dedication of students including 11-year-old Chelsea Da

Silva, who was snipping non-native blackberries out of Lillian Hoffar park as part of a

Peninsula Streams initiative last Friday.

“This is what I like to do because it is fun and helping,” the North Saanich middle school

student said. “We live on the earth and we need the earth for us to live.”

Armed with pink pruning shears, the Grade 6 student was adamant that regardless of what

she ends up doing as an adult, the environment will always be a consideration for her.

“I like what I am doing and I like saving the world. I live here and I want it to be a special

place for everyone who comes here,” she said. “It is also your world, so [you] should keep it

the way you got it.”

Peninsula Streams turns 10

Photo credit: Arnold Lim, PNR

This year marks 10 years of

education, restoration and

conservation.

With the help of a dedicated

army of volunteers, the

Peninsula Streams’

contributions to positive

change in the environment in

a relatively short period of

time, is something

stewardship coordinator

Francesca Loro is proud to

have been involved with and

proof positive change begins

with one person.

By Arnold Lim

Published: April 24, 2012

Peninsula Streams Turns Ten!

July 1, 2012

By Alice Johnson, Citizen Journalist

If a stream on the peninsula runs through your property, you have probably met Ian Bruce,

Executive Director of the Peninsula Streams Society (PSS). In only ten years this largely

volunteer group has changed the landscape for the better.

In the Mount Newton valley, through which Hagen Creek flows, Anne Waterhouse spoke about

her experience with Peninsula Streams and her land which includes the creek. “I enjoyed

hearing a bit of history on how the First Nations people used to catch many trout almost daily

in the stream… My cousin was impressed on how this is the first group [Peninsula Streams

Society] she has heard of who are not just trying to restore salmon streams but trout streams

as well.”

Waterhouse explains that when she first moved to the property in 2000, the bridge

crossing the creek was level, but successive years of flooding caused the bridge to tilt

sideways. After some heavy work removing blackberry bushes the stream has stopped

flooding and returned to its healthy flow. Another surprise awaited Anne after the

clearing… she noted that from her house she now had an unobscured view of the lovely

stream. Anne said, “When I am walking down by the stream there is the added sound of

the riffles which were not there before.”

Anne recalled the stages of the creek restoration and said, ”When Ian suggested a

small wetlands pond in the beginning I said ‘great!’ The land in the area was not usable

for anything else. Little did I know that he would get so excited and start increasing the

size of the pond. How could I stop him? It is quite elaborate with islands, logs and

stumps added and all the plants put in by the volunteers.” Anne explained that the work

continued and, “Now, more has been added in the way of a channel from the creek to

the pond for creek overflow and a mini-lock to stop the outflow of the pond water … to

raise the level of the pond.” Anne jokes, “I could almost add a boat launch for a lazy

boat drift … in the summer.”

As a non profit society Peninsula Streams promotes healthy watersheds and coastlines

through educational programmes in schools, water quality testing and physical stream

restoration. The Society includes several watershed committees and coastline

protection groups on the Saanich Peninsula. Their accomplishments over the past

decade have been significant and worthy of celebration.

Regarding his ten year involvement with PSS, Bruce says: “It has been my pleasure

and honour to have worked with over a 1000 dedicated volunteers and students from 8

to 80 years old over the past 10 years. We have pulled ivy, re-built streams, released

salmon, and reclaimed habitat amongst other activities.”

Bruce also enjoys the school programs where he works with teachers and

children. “Our school programs reach almost 1000… Grade 3 and 6 students every

year and it is so rewarding to see them take an interest in helping their local

ecosystems. I can’t think of a better way to spend my life” Says Bruce.

Peninsula Streams Society says that on July 14th they invite everyone to Centennial

Park in Central Saanich to see their work and celebrate their accomplishments.

According to their news release, 2012 marks the tenth anniversary for this important

society. “As a Society we have undergone changes and growth, but what has remained

constant is the support received from the community. This has included support from

municipalities, local businesses and organisations, foundations, volunteers and friends.”

July 14th event attractions will include project displays, watershed model, stream tours,

live music, wine and snack sales an aquarium with live fish, plus release-a-fish and

adopt-a-tree by donation.

Peninsula Streams Society asks you to come on out and see if you live in one of the

Peninsula’s many Watersheds.

How can you contribute to the success of

Peninsula Streams Society?

- Volunteer with us.

- Purchase an individual membership ($5/year)

- Participate in Thrifty Foods Smile Card program

- Make a financial donation. Tax receipts issued.

- Donate a product or service for our annual Silent Auction

Fundraiser. Tax receipts issued.

For more information, please contact:

Ian Bruce, R.P.Bio., Executive Coordinator

250-363-6596 PeninsulaStreams@gmail.com

Peninsula Streams Society

PO Box 6000 Stn Main

9860 West Saanich Road

North Saanich, BC, V8L 4B2

www.PeninsulaStreams.ca